Title:
A delicate business : corporate social responsibility and development
Authors:
Quak, E.
Year:
2008
Serial number:
8
Journal:
The Broker
Pages:
4
-
7
ISSN:
1874-2033
Language:
eng
Subject:
Economic Development and Trade
Keywords:
globalization
,
private sector
,
social development
,
poverty
Abstract:
In the debate on how to combat poverty, policymakers frequently claim that multinational corporations can make a positive contribution by practising corporate social responsibility (CSR). But CSR initiatives are often no match for an issue as complex as poverty alleviation. The success of a few initiatives should not stifle debate on CSR, so long as the majority of CSR initiatives fail to change anything for the people at the bottom of the production chain. The CSR debate therefore has to become more critical, and research into CSR at the macro level is vital. Whether CSR really is the long sought-after instrument that can break the spiral of poverty depends to a large extent on the private sector implementing CSR values more seriously in its day-to-day business model, and tackling the conflicting internal interests effectively. CSR will also have to tie in better with anti-poverty projects in the South, and companies will have to take more heed of the demands of local communities.
Organization:
The Broker
Category:
General
Right:
© 2008 IDP. This article has been licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported license.
Document type:
E-article
File:
137952.pdf